Automobile engine compartments contain many components which substantially fill the compartment, making routine maintenance a challenge. One such component is the battery. Batteries typically are extremely heavy and have fixed positive and negative charged locations, often in the form of exterior extending posts for interconnection with corresponding connectors, usually referred to as battery terminals. Conventional battery terminals typically include threaded fasteners that must be actuated to draw the battery terminal into engagement with the corresponding battery post. Typically, a corresponding electrical cable is crimped onto each battery terminal representing an in-line orientation, which may or may not be the most convenient orientation for engaging the battery post. In addition, it may be desirable to add components requiring electrical power to a vehicle, the components including with electrical terminals having terminal tongues. It is also desirable to not disturb the electrical connection or engagement between the battery terminal and the cables associated with starting the automobile, preserving the electrical connection therebetween. Unfortunately, current battery terminal constructions are not configured to modify the electrical connection with other components, i.e., separate electrical terminal tongues, without discontinuing the electrical connection between the vehicle starting cables.
What is needed is a battery terminal construction that does not require special tools to provide electrical connections to a battery. What is also needed is a battery terminal construction configured to separately receive terminal tongues.